Improvement in toys



W. S. REED.

Toy. v

No. 219,520. PatentedSept. 9,1879.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE' WILLIAM S. REED, OF LEOMINSTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IM PROVEM ENT IN .TOYS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 219,520, dated September 9, 1879 application filed July 21, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. REED, of Leominster, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Toy Animal, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying; drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my toy. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the center of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line a: a: of Fig. 2.

My presentinvention consists in a toy animal having pivoted limbs and supported by a truck mounted on wheels, a crank and connectingrod only being employed for transmitting the motion of the latter to the figure of the animal, which is thus caused to act in a perfectly natural or life-like manner, a car or vehicle being attached, if desired, to the truck, thus imitating a favorite method of traveling in the East, said toy being both amusing and instructive to children.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, 1 will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawings is represented the figure of an elephant, secured by screws a a to each side of a horizontal platform, A, screwed to the top of the front vertical portion, 11, of a truck, B, mounted on two pairs of wheels, 0 O D D, the front and rear, 0, of the truck being connected by a longitudinal bar or pole, d. The trunk cot the figure of the elephant is pivoted at It to its head 1 while a front leg, 70, and a hind leg, I, are pivoted at m n to its body 19.

A rod, 8, connects the trunk c with the forward leg, 7c, and a rod, it, connects the latter with the rear leg, I; but these rods may be united and form one continuous connection, if desired.

To one 'side of the center of each forward wheel, G, is secured one end of a bent arm, a, the other end of which is secured to the inside of the front leg, 70, the arm serving as a crank, which, as it is thrown forward by the revolutionof the wheel, advances this leg, and, through the connections described, also I advances the trunk and hind leg, giving the three limbs a natural and life-like motion.

The body of a fanciful car or chariot, G, may be secured to the top of the rear portion, 0, of the truck, and be provided with an upright pole, 1;, bearing a canopy, w, to shade the occupant of the seat.

The driver or guide is supposed to occupy a standing position on the platform, and carries in his hand a directing-staff, 1, the whole toy being a representation of a favorite style of traveling in the East, and serving as an interesting object for the diversion of children.

' .The toycan be drawn along the floor by means of a cord, 5, attached to the front of the platform.

The car or chariot may be omitted, and only the rear portion, 0, of the truck, with its supportingwheels, be employed; but prefer the toy as shown, as it hasa more unique and finished appearance.

A figure of a camel or other animal may be employed, and a connecting-rod may extend from the rear wheel (instead of from the front wheel) to the several pivoted limbs, without departing from my invention.

I am aware that in Patent No. 115,636, to Joseph W. Pilkington, is shown and described the figure of a horse whose legs are made to move by the revolution of a wheel; but the interposing mechanism for doing this consists of several devices in connection with and in addition to a crank and connecting-rod, which construction is necessarily complicated, which it is my present object to avoid.

I claim A toy consisting of the figure of an animal having pivoted limbs, in combination with a supporting-truck mounted on wheels, the motion of which is imparted to the figure by the simple interposition of a crank, which directly. connects a wheel with one of the limbs, and a connecting-rod, which unites the front and rear limbs. whereby the figure is caused to move in a life-likemanner, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as described.

Witness myhand this 11th day ofJuly, 1879.

WILLIAM S. REED.

In presence of- N. W. S'IEARNS, M. M. RoHRER. 

